China’s first direct sea route linking Zhangjiagang Port in Suzhou with Peru’s Chancay Port has handled over 50,000 tons of cargo since the Peruvian port began operations one year ago, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday.
Customs data shows that cargo volumes on the route have reached 52,000 tons, dominated by automobiles, construction machinery, and grinding balls. The dedicated connection has sharply boosted logistics efficiency, cutting transit times from 35 days to just 23 days.
The Suzhou–Chancay corridor has quickly become a vital artery for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) trade, supporting high-quality foreign trade growth and offering resilience amid increasing global protectionism. The route is also strengthening industrial linkages between China’s advanced manufacturing hubs in the Yangtze River Delta and Latin America’s resource-rich sectors, said Song Ding of the China Development Institute.
The route’s expansion follows a milestone earlier this year when China launched its first direct general cargo liner service to Chancay on September 12. Operated monthly by Cosco Shipping Specialized Carriers, the express service accommodates multi-purpose cargo, supporting exports such as engineering vehicles and grinding balls while enabling imports of commodities including copper concentrate and iron ore.
Suzhou is projected to ship around 500,000 revenue tons of general cargo annually to Central and South America’s west coast through the new route, further enhancing the region’s maritime logistics network.
Chancay Port—jointly developed by China and Peru under the BRI—celebrated its first anniversary on November 14. Over the past year, it has launched three main lines and four branch routes, with foreign trade exceeding $1 billion. The Suzhou–Chancay route alone has completed five sailings, delivering about 26,000 tons of cargo, while exports from Taicang Port to Peru surged past 800 million yuan in the first eight months of the year, more than doubling year-on-year.
Officials and experts say the growing corridor centered on Chancay Port is expected to anchor long-term China–Latin America connectivity and enhance supply-chain resilience amid global economic shifts.
